Help!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lynn
  • Start date Start date
L

Lynn

When my daughter was 12 she knew that if you disconnected
the battery in the hard drive you could by-pass the
passwords. Now that she is 18, I am in big trouble. She
knows way more than me and I can't seem to keep up
anymore. She has already rendered one computer unusable.

Windows XP Home Edition is on the computer and I can't
access anything. She has shut me out of everything so if
I want to stop her ability to use the computer I can't.

Is there any information available to help me out. I am
a single mum with no extra money and so can't afford to
get in touch with Microsoft directly or use any of their
services other than this one.

I would also like to know if there is a way without her
knowing to stop access to inappropriate sites. She
allows her friends to use the computer and I have no idea
what sites they get into not to mention all the junk she
puts on it herself.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi

As you have posted via the CDO Interface, I have no idea which country you are in. Here in the UK - anyone who is 18 can do what ever they like - *****apart from use any my PCs without my permission*****. Put your foot down and tell her that she can't use your PC. If that doesn't work, cut her allowance off, take her BMW away from her, punch the goldfish until she says 'no more'. My more 'elaborate' suggestions have just been deemed 'non practicable' by my lawyer.

Will
 
In some locations, reaching the age of 18 renders a person legally an adult,
so my question is: who bought the computer? If your daughter purchased it
and she is an adult, there is not much you can do, really. You may, in
this case, tell her to get her own phone line installed and pay for it as
well as the monthly fees for internet access.

If you own the computer, my suggestions (in descending order of severity)
are:

1. Get rid of the computer. Yes, this is drastic; but if your daughter
will not "play by the rules", you need to realize that you do "control the
game".

2. Cancel Internet access, if you are paying for it. Since you say you
"can't access anything on the computer", look at your credit card statement
for those monthly charges. Most credit cards show a telephone number to
call regarding the charge and you could contact your Internet Service
Provider that way. If that is not possible, inform your credit card carrier
that you will no longer accept charges from that service. That will stop
internet service.

3. Look for a local computer shop (or, perhaps a "techie" at your work
location) and ask for an estimate (it will probably be less than you think)
of what they would charge to:
A) format the hard drive,
B) re-install Windows ME from your CD's,
C) setup your internet account and re-install your software from your
CD's
D) setup a "system password". This is a password that must be entered
for the computer to boot. It should be easily remembered by you but not
"guessable" by your daughter.
E) when the above are done, install the computer in your living room or
family room - not your daughter's bedroom - and only turn it on when YOU are
home.
F) if your daughter still finds a way to get around this - return to
Step 1.

hth,
 
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